Question

I have a simple model for a contract:

public class Contract
{
    public int Number { get; set; }
    public DateTime DateSigned { get; set; }
}

When creating a new contract I’d like to automatically suggest the next available number. I get it from the database in my controller’s Create action.

public Create()
{
    ViewBag.SuggestNum = /* ... */;
    return View();
}

In my View I have an EditorFor my Number and my DateSigned:

@Html.EditorFor( m => m.DateSigned )
@Html.EditorFor( m => m.Number )

I’ve tried both of these but they seem to have no effect whatsoever on the resulting html:

@Html.EditorFor( m => m.Number, new { @value = ViewBag.SuggestNum.ToString() } ) 
@Html.EditorFor( m => m.Number, new { @Value = ViewBag.SuggestNum.ToString() } )

Another option is to construct a Contract object in my controller but then my non-nullable DateTime property’s editor defaults to 01.01.0001 instead of being empty:

public Create()
{
    var SuggestNum = /* ... */;

    // The new object has a DateSigned property with the default value of 01.01.0001
    return View( new Contract() { Number = SuggestNum }); 
}

So this doesn’t work either.

Any ideas how to set the value of my Number property’s editor but not my DateSigned’s?

Answer 1

You could make the DateSigned property a Nullable<DateTime>:

public class Contract
{
    public int Number { get; set; }

    [Required]
    public DateTime? DateSigned { get; set; }
}

and then in your controller:

public ActionResult Create()
{
    var suggestNum = ... fetch from db
    return View( new Contract() { Number = suggestNum }); 
}

and in your view:

@Html.EditorFor( m => m.DateSigned )
@Html.EditorFor( m => m.Number )